Whether I like it or not, other students are going to have their university experience altered because of me and my differences – something which, understandably, some students are less than happy about.

However, while I can see why people being encouraged not to clap could be, at the very extreme, perceived as a movement which aims to take away people’s expression, I encourage these same people to see the other side of the story.

Advertisement

Advertisement

This small sacrifice will likely mean more autistic people are comfortable leaving our accommodation – as the overwhelming sounds that can often leave us immobilised will be limited once on campus.

This isn’t about anything being taken away from anyone but rather the chance to assist people who can often feel isolated.

Of course this small progression of encouraging people to clap less is not truly going to remove the anxiety many autistic people feel at university.

There is still the matter of every other noise, such as the million whispers in every classroom, the loud slam of falling books in corridors and the inevitable high-pitched scream of a microphone causing feedback.

But while these things will still undoubtedly cause sensory overload for some, the fact that they felt they could go to university in the first place is no doubt a huge achievement.

For me, my time at university was never daunting because of the way I’d react to complicated situations. Instead, it was my fear of how people would respond to my reactions which always left me stressed.

Hearing that my peers would be willing to give up their right to clap in exchange for making me feel comfortable goes beyond the original aim of limiting the fear of sensory overload for autistic people. It gives myself and many autistic people the confidence we need to feel welcomed into the university’s community.

There will of course be some people who don’t see this as fair. However, I’d ask that they support their university regardless and realise that, no matter how it may seem, this isn’t about anything being taken away from anyone but rather the chance to assist people who can often feel isolated.

This highlights the most important factor regarding the success of this move, and that is how well the conversation surrounding it is controlled.

Currently, there are a lot of people citing this change as a ‘clap ban’. While it’s a choice of words which might be a lot more time efficient than reciting the entire introduction of this article, they are ones which can easily be misinterpreted as a form of punishment.

It seems almost ironic to say that to embrace change we need to perceive change through the eyes of people who are naturally opposed to it.

But the truth is, we need to stop talking about this alteration like it has been made to limit how people express themselves.

Instead we should celebrate this decision, not just for the protection it offers autistic people but, for the overwhelming opportunities this protection provides.

Find out more about autism at the National Autistic Society’s website. Visit James’ website.